Bottle opener

ABSTRACT

An opener for bottle caps of the type having a threaded connection to a receptacle. Two jaws are provided in opposed relationship with pivot means therebetween. The teeth carried on the inside surface of the jaw engage the cap.

Umted States Patent 1191 1111 3,913,424 Castillo 1 Oct. 21, 1975 BOTTLE OPENER 2,246,649 6/1941 West 81/3.4

[75] Inventor: Manuel Castillo, Chicago, Ill FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73] Assignee: Lawrence Peska Associates, Inc., 9,928 1906 United Kin dom 81/344 New York, NY. a part interest 22 Filed: Dec. 30 1974 Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith [21] A l N 537 559 Assistant ExaminerRoscoe V. Parker, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 81/344 51 Int. Cl. B67B 7/18 Opener for bottle caps of the type havmg a [58] Field of Search 81/344, 3.4, 3.34 threaded Connection to recelmcl- TWO jaws are provided in opposed relationship with pivot means [56] References Cited therebetween. The teeth carried on the inside surface UNITED STATES PATENTS of the jaw engage the 1,461,983 7/1923 Parker 81 /3.44 3 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures US. Patent 0ct.21,1975 3,913,424

BOTTLE OPENER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention pertains to apparatus for opening containers and particularly to containers having threaded caps or tops. The prior art includes apparatus such as that shown in Wolf, US. Pat. No. 2,208,714 issued July 23, 1940. Such apparatus is typical of a variety of relatively expensive to manufacture and cumbersome to use and store apparatus available for opening containers having threaded fasteners. Such apparatus while providing a substantial mechanical advantage by means of a tangentially extending handle places considerable emphasis on the mechanical advantages as opposed to the means for gripping the cap which is to be removed. Frequently the problem in removing such caps is to provide sufficient gripping of the cap.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of the invention to provide apparatus which will firmly grip the cap of a container and which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

It is still another object of the invention to provide apparatus which is easy for the user to grip and which is not cumbersome to store or use. 7

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It has now been found that these and other objects of the invention may be satisfied by apparatus which includes first and second arcuate opposed members having teeth disposed on the opposed surfaces thereof. Pivot means engage the first and second members for selective movement about an axis parallel to the center curvature of the arcuate members. The pivot means ordinarily comprises a yoke on the first member which engages a lug on the second member and a pin extends through the yoke and lug which is disposed parallel to the center of the curvature of the jaws.

Ordinarily the jaws will have overlapping axially spaced portions disposed at the end of the arcuate members opposite to that where the pivot means is disposed. The surface upon which the teeth are disposed may be oblique with respect to the axis defined by the center of curvature of the arcuate members.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The invention will be better understood by reference toadrawinginwhich:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2A is a side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2B is a side elevational view of still another embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is another side elevational view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4A is another side elevational view of another embodiment of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 4 there is shown a preferred embodiment of the opener 10 in accordance with the invention, the opener, comprises a first arcuate jaw 12 and opposed arcuate jaw 14. The two are joined by a pivot pin or machine screw 16 which passes through the yoke 18 and the lug 20. The opposite end ofjaws 12, 14 may also meet in a yoke and lug arrangement between two, 24 the exterior surfaces of the jaws 12, 14 such as surface 28 will normally be provided with a knurling to increase the grip of the user on the apparatus in accordance with the invention, particularly when it is manufactured of metal. In various other embodiments it may be manufactured of rubber or certain plastics and such knurling may not be necessary. The inside surfaces of the jaw 12, 14 will normally be provided with arcuate faces 30, 32 which are disposed with the surfaces parallel to the axis of the machine screw 16.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B there is shown other embodiments of the invention which are substantially the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 but different terms of the contour of the opposed faces of the jaws 12, 14. More specifically in the form shown in FIG. 2A the surfaces 40 are taped. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2B the surface 42 is stepped. Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 4A there is shown various embodiments of the invention and particularly with respect the cooperation of the ends of the jaws most removed from the pivot means, in the apparatus shown in FIG. 4 where the jaws meet in a yoke 50 and lug 52. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4A the jaws meet in overlapping relationship in axially spaced portions thereof 54, 56.

Having thus described my invention I claim:

1. Apparatus for opening a container having a threaded fastener thereon, which comprises: First and second arcuate opposed members, teeth carried on the inside surface of the opposed members, and pivot means engaging first ends of said members permit selective movement of said members about an axis parallel to the center of curvature of said arcuate members, said pivot means comprising a yoke on said first member engaging a lug on said member and a pin extending through the yoke and lug, said pin being disposed parallel to the center of the curvature of said jaws.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said second ends of said first and second arcuate opposed members are provided with axially spaced portions respectively with each of said portions in overlapped relationship in at least one position of the jaws.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said teeth are disposed on surfaces which are oblique with respect to the axis defined by the center of curvature of said arcuate members. 

1. Apparatus for opening a container having a threaded fastener thereon, which comprises: First and second arcuate opposed members, teeth carried on the inside surface of the opposed members, and pivot means engaging first ends of said members permit selective movement of said members about an axis parallel to the center of curvature of said arcuate members, said pivot means comprising a yoke on said first member engaging a lug on said member and a pin extending through the yoke and lug, said pin being disposed parallel to the center of the curvature of said jaws.
 2. The apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said second ends of said first and second arcuate opposed members are provided with axially spaced portions respectively with each of said portions in overlapped relationship in at least one position of the jaws.
 3. The apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said teeth are disposed on surfaces which are oblique with respect to the axis defined by the center of curvature of said arcuate members. 